Lighted compact



Dec. 6, 1949 H. w. HAHN ETAL 2,490,352

LIGHTED COMPACT Filed March 22, 194'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 6, 1949 H. w. HAHN ETAL l LIGHTED COMPACT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 22, 1947 INVENTORS /Ay h( /d/f/V Home@ 4. Mf/.sMa/v B'ql may Patented Dec. 6, 1949 f ,3

UNITED STATES PATENToFFIcE LIGHTED COMPACT Harry W. Hahn, Glendale, and Howard A.

Weisman, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application March 22, 1947; Serial No. 736,506

2 claims. A(c1. 24o-6.45) y Our invention relates to womens compacts, or vanity cases, and is particularly directed to the provision of an improved compact of the kind tted with an electric light and having a case with a cover, a partition tted in the case, and formed to accommodate makeup materials. dry cell batteries being arranged below said partition.

Compacts are small containers fitted with a small mirror and a powder compartment, and designed to be carried in a purse or handbag so that the owner may, whenever judged necessary or expedient, touch up her makeup. Often a woman will want to use her compact where light is poor, as for instance in a theater lobby, and it would be a great convenience to have a light incorporated in the compact. It would also be very convenient to have a compact arranged to carry the usual lipstick in its container, since when carried separately in a purse as is usuaLit is necessary for the user to hold both the compact and the purse while searching for the lipstick.

It is the general object of the invention to provide a compact providing space for a lipstick and provided with an electric light, more specific reference to objects of the invention being made hereinafter.

An object of the invention is to provide a womans compact provided with a small electric light, the light and its batteries being arranged on a carrier member separable as a complete unit from the compact to facilitate assembly and replacement of parts.

A further object of the invention is to provide switch control means for acompact provided with an electric light capable of being manually operated or to be automatically operated by the opening and closing of the compact.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a recess to receive a lipstick container and liitted with means to facilitate removal of the lipstick for use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compact or vanity case tte'd withan electric light and switching means therefor so arranged that should the user close the compact cover without rst switching off the light, the cover will nevertheless operate the switch to interrupt .1

the circuit of the electric light so thatthe battery cannot be accidentally exhausted.

29e-a base separable'fri the compact.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a compact fitted with an electric light. the case of the compact being shapedtov provide:

Z c space for-dry` cellsvproviding electric current lul the light, vthe shape of the container being also such .as to be unusually comfortable and easy for the user to hold securely.

In the drawings:l

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the compact of our invention in open position.

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section through the compact shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail drawn to a larger scale with parts'shown in section showing of the arrangement of a switch controlling an electric light tted in the compact.

Fig-4 is a vsection onthe line 1 4 of Fig. 2

Llooking in the direction of the arrows and therefore showing the underside of a partition ar-V ranged in the' compact.

Fig. 5y is av perspective view showing the electrical componentsof the compact mounted on Fig. 6`is anexploded view showing the arrangement'of vtheparts of a separable sub-base for the electrical'V units. the view showing the units asnseen fromA below being shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is 'a fragmentary detail in section on the line 'l--J of Flggfi and drawn to a much larger scale( Y Fig. 8 `is au fragx'neentaryA detail drawn to a. larger scale andlin section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 4. v

Fig. 9 is afragmentary `detail drawn to a larger scale and showing in section the method of ,securing together metal and insulating sheets withmetal rivet'sgwhile securing the desired insulation.

. ablemanneron the inside of the cover.

A partition 22 is fitted. into the case I0 and hinged on the same pin as the cover I0. The partitionisheld in position by a .pin 24 Figure 7 mounted on a .leaf spring 26 secured to the partition and extending into'a dimpled hole 28 in theouter case. When the pin 24 is depressed by the Afinger tip, the partition' may be readily rotated upwardly about its'fhingedfconnection to the outercasel". A

Theupper 1*surfacehf partition '22 is stamped Fig. is a crosssectiorifonl the line l-l ofv to provide a recess 30 to contain powder and the usual fabric applicator (not shown) The recess 30 is provided with a cover hinged at 34 to the partition and held closed by a readily releasable catch 36a carried by leaf spring 30 secured to case |0, or of any suitable construction.

A recess 38 is also provided to receive any usual form of lipstick container 40. A length of bowed spring material 42 is secured in the'bottom of recess 30 to hold the lipstick container in position to be readily removed for use, the container being however pushed into the recess 38 when the cover I2 is closed by the mirror pressing down upon the raised lipstick container.

A third recess 44 is formed to receive a flashlight bulb 46 projecting through a hole 48 cut in the wall of the recess. A stud 50 operating a switch, later described, controlling the electric light bulb is arranged to project through a slot 52 in the partition 22.

The electric light bulb 46 together with dry cells 54, 56 and a switch, generally indicated at 58, are mounted as a unit on a separate sub base 6i) formed as a flat sheet lying flat against the underside of the partition with one downwardly curvedv side flange 62 engaging against an inwardly curved flange 63 projecting from one side of the partition and a second similar flange 64 abutting against the side vof the stamped out recess 33 for the lipstick. The ange B4 is provided with a struck out projection 66 which is arranged to nt into a slot 68, Fig. 4, cut in the side wall of the pressed out lipstickrecess 38 engaged by the flange. The resilience of the flanges 62, 64 is sufficient to retain the sub base securely in position but it may be assembled or dis-assembled merely by exing flange 64 away from the wall of the lipstick recess and pulling it away from the underside of partition I6, as for instance by inserting the point of a nail file or other Vtool into a hole 'le provided for that purpose in flange 64. To assemble the sub base with a lamp and dry batteries mounted thereon it is necessary only to press Ythe sub base inwardly, with the flashlight bulb 46 positioned to pass through hole 48 until projection 66 engages in slot 68. It should be noted that all electrical parts are contained in the one self contained unit with no extraneous wiring or switching arrangements.

An end lug 12 is bent up from plate 60 and is used to mount a small bus bar orcormecting strip 14 clipped on lug 12 by a clip 16, a piece of insulation 18Y being arranged betweenV clip 16 and bar 14. Another lug 80 is struck up from plate 6i) and is spaced from lug `12 the proper distance to enable a dry cell battery to be inserted between one end of bar 14 and lug 80.

An L-shaped strip of insulation 82 is laid upon sheet 6e and an L-shaped metal strip 84 upon insulating strip 82. The forward end of strip 84 is bent upwardly'to form the'ce'nter contact 85 for iiashlight bulb 46'which is screwed into a hole in an upwardly bent portion 86 of plate 60. Another insulating stripf88 is laid upon strip 64. Strip 88 is cut out at 89 to receive an operating head of a switch 90, later described, and'is provided with a hole 92 to enable a spring contact member 94 to project therethrough. Member 94 is formed as an extension of an L-shaped strip 96 having an upturned lug 98 forming a contact for a second dry cell battery inserted between lug 98 and the other end of bar 14. The assembly of metal plates and insulating strips is riveted between a metal strip separated by a strip of insulation |02 from metal strip 96. The several metal plates or strips with the strips of insulating material between them are assembled into a rigid unit by riveting them together, two of the rivets |04 being shown in Fig. 5. The metal plates or strips requiring to be insulated from one another are so insulated notwithstanding that the metal rivets secure them together by providing oversize rivet holes in metal strips 84 and 96 so that when the rivets are upset by pressure the insulating material 82, 88 is forced into the rivet holes, as shown in Fig. 9, and hold the rivet stems spaced from the edges of the metal strips referred to. To secure the accuracy of alignment required and facilitate rapid assembly the plates and strips included in the electrical unit are provided with locating holes |06 fitting closely on accurately ground pins in the assembly jig.

Strips 84, 82, and plate 60 are provided with aligned slots for the passage of stem 90a of the switch 90, the slot being long enough to enable the switch head to be slid back and forth, movement of the switch in one direction separating contact 94 from metal strip 84 while movement in the opposite direction enables contact 94 to engage strip 84. In the closed position of the lid of the compact, mirror 29 presses downwardly on the stem 6ta of the switch separating contact 94 from plate 84 as shown in Fig. 3. Switch head 90b is preferably wedge shaped and engages against a bent portion 94a of the metal strip 9B forming contactl 94 when moved in one direction but moves clear of 94a when moved in the opposite direction to enable contact 94 to engage plate 84. The resiliency of strip 96 is effective to hold the stem of the switch extending upwardly from the partition when the cover is in open position and to retain the head of the switch in adjusted position.

To secure the batteries against sideward movement, one side a of bulb mount 8B is inwardly curved and the batteries t snugly against each other between the bulb mount and the inwardly curved side 62 of plate 50.

It will be seen that the batteries 5o are arranged in series and the path for electric current runs from dry cell battery 54, lug 8:3 on plate Bil, bulb mount 86, the lament of the lamp and center contact thereof, lug S5 on plate 64, switch contact 94 on plate 96 and through lug 93 struck up from that plate to the other dry cell battery 56 through bus bar 14.

It will be noted that the compact of our invention is so arranged as to be of great convenience and utility, providing an adequate receptacle for face powder and accommodation for a full size lipstick and tted with an electric light which may be either automatically or manually switched on and off but the circuit of which is automatically broken by the closing of the cover of the compact.

The shape of the compact, the depth or thickness of which is increased toward the hinge I6 to accommodate the batteries, also provides a compact which is unusually easy to hold in the hand while in use.

While we have specifically described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of the compact of our invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may bemade by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as intended to be defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A compact or vanity case having a case with a cover having a mirror mounted therein fitted with an electric light, comprising: a horizontal partition extending across the whole area of the case and formed to hold powder and lipstick and shaped to provide a light outlet; and an electrical assembly having a mount for a flash light bulb. dry cell electric current generating means to supply the electric light bulb, and switch means, arranged as a self contained unit detachably mounted below the horizontal partition including: a base plate on which the electrical assembly is mounted; a pair of upstanding anges on opposite sides of said base plate, one of which anges is adapted to abut the inner face of a flange projecting from the partition and intertting parts on the other or" said flanges and on the wall of a pressed out portion of the horizontal partition constituting a recess for makeup material and elective to retain the electrical assembly in adjusted position against the lower face of the partition, the assembly being detachable by springing the iiange intertting with said pressed out portion of the partition out of engagement therewith.

2. A compact or vanity case having a case with a cover having a mirror mounted therein fitted with an electric light, a horizontal partition extending across the whole area of the case and formed to hold powder and lipstick and shaped to provide a light outlet, comprising: an electrical assembly having a mount for a iiash light bulb, dry cell electric current generating means to supply the electric light bulb, and switch means arranged as a self contained unit detachably mounted below the horizontal partition; and a downwardly extending depression about the light opening in the horizontal partition effective to project the light upwardly, said electrical assembly comprising a base plate having an upstanding portion providing a mount for a flash light bulb, said upstanding portion being concavely contoured on one side, an upstanding liange extending from said base plate opposite to and spaced from said concavely contoured side of the bulb mount, the dry cell means being positioned between and in part held by said light bulb mount and upstanding ange.

HARRY W. HAHN.

HOWARD A. WEISMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,263,315 Finkbeiner Apr. 16, 1918 1,742,958 Kaufman Jan. 7, 1930 1,889,143 Hirsh Nov. 29, 1932 1,930,735 Winslette Oct. 17, 1933 2,031,507 Rothenberg Feb. 18, 1936 2,070,857 Davis Feb. 16, 1937 2,258,541 Cressaty Oct. 7, 1941 2,270,636 Klareld Jan. 20, 1942 2,333,891 Schreyer et a1 NoV. 9, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 390,802 Great Britain Apr. 6, 1933 433,816 Great Britain Aug. 21, 1935 527,743 France Aug. 1, 1921 769,627 France June 11, 1934 789,825 France Aug. 26, 1935 

